Sectional platform with nesting sections



May 6, 1958 c. MAcKlNTosH 2,833,607

SECTIONAL PLTF'ORIVIl WITH NESTINC SECTIONS Filed March 28, 1955INVENTOR lay/(ibm, @ali/VWM r /f/bm ATTORNEYS SECTIONAL PLATFORMv WITHNEsTlNG sEc'rroNs j CharlesfMacldntosh, LsAngeles, Calif.ApplicafionMarchzs,isssgiseaaiisawzozs 4 claims.v (ci. 3111-4) ,thereonarev such as tolenable the sections to be stacked one on top ofanother.

A furtherv object isl toprvi easectional platform. as just described.wherein theindividualL sections when arranged into a platform`rv areadapted' to` be interconnected by a novel latching device.

Another object of thefinventi'ongisv to provide aV tablelike assemblywhich may be associated',` either longitudinally, laterally or both,`with anumber` ofv similar unitsinto a platform, theunits, ondisassociati'on, being y adapted to nest together in^a compactarravOther objects andadvantagesl will'be apparent from the followingdetailed description lwhenY read in conjunction with thev accompanyingdrawings in which:

Pigurel is a planview` of a stage or` platform formed of a plurality oftable-like assemblies constructedl in accordance with the presentinvention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged plan -yiewofseveral juxtaposed units, with 'theIpanels` shown'n dotted lines;

Figure 3 is a transversey sectionv taken substantially along line 3--3of Figure l, but with the panels in solid lines;

Figure 4 is a side elevation of a plurality of the units nestedtogether;

Figure 5. is a fragmentary detailed. view ofk a novel latching devicev'adapted tormaintainV the' units'together; and

Figure 6`is a'plan view of a stage-or'platform, of differentconiiguration assembled from. apluralityoffslightly modied units, thepanels being, partially cut away to reveal the` construction of the uniIt is evident from the drawings., Figures Z'andl 3' in particular, thatthe basic or elemental unit of the invention is a table-like assembly,generally designated A, which may be arranged im'tva'ri'ousrelationships with other units to form platforms, stages, tables and thelike of diiferent sizes and configurations. The assembly A includes anopen frame 11 constructed of angle or channel iron and lhaving front andrear members 12 and 13, respectively, and left and right side members 14and l5, respectively, the members being welded or otherwise securedtogether at the corners to constitute a unitary structure. To permit thenesting of the assemblies, either front member 12 or rear member 13 (theformer, as illustrated) is foreshorted at its ends, as compared to theother membenso that the side members 13 and 14 extend slightly obliquelyinwardly between the ends of the front and rear members. Where the frontand rear members are straight, which would constitute the simplest. andleast expensive arrangementpthe frame K 11 takes the form of atrapezoid.

Dependent from frame 11` and secured thereto by welding orotherconventional means are two setsV or groups of legs, a back set i6 and afront set 17. One of these sets (17 Vas illustrated) is mounted on theexterior face lor vedge of the foreshortenedpmember and in;- cludes a,leg disposed adjacent each end ofthe member and a further leg locatedintermediate ysuch endsr which further leg is given in the drawings thespecial designa'- tion 171'. A leg rofthe other group is mounted on theexterior edge or face of each` of side'members 14 and l5 adjacent theend thereof remote from the member which carries the rst group of legs.All of the legsty of both groups are of egual length and, forreasonsthat will hereafter'appear, are preferably generally tubular in form..

Supported by frame ll' is a top panel member 21 formed of plywood orother substantially rigid sheet material which may be detachably securedto the frame in. any of the usual ways, for example, with screws (notshown)` e edge of the panel which corresponds to the frame membercarrying the iirst group (17) of legs, for example edge Z2, so extendsas to leave at least a portionof each of the legs of that grouppexposedto accessfrom above, and where' that edge isstraight, it may begenerally flush with the outer redger of the frame member. On the otherhand, the opposite edge 23. of the .panel,; at least in regionsdiametrically oppositeto legs carried by the -f' foreshortened member,projects ,beyond the exterior limits 30A ofthe legless `frame member toan extent comparable with the exposed portion ofjthe legs on the otherside ofthe framef Thev purpose of' this arrangement is that when twoassemblies are placedv front to back, the projecting portion of thepanelof one assembly will overlap and cover the exposed portion' of thelegs of the front or4 rear group, asythe case may be,.ofjthe otherassembly, the entirer panel of the first assembly constituting with theentire panel ofthe other assembly asubstantially continuous surface. f s

With respect to thejsideportious of the panelaln ,the region of thecorners. of the framedeiined by a sidemember and the non-foreshortenedmember, the panel terminates short of the legs carried by the side framemembers'sothat at least a portion of each of' these legsis leftexposedto access from above; and at least in. the regions diametricallyopposite to the legs vcarriedby the side frame members: the panelprojects beyond the outer edge of the side frame member to an extentcomparable with the portion of the legleft exposed.V The objectaccomplished by thisV arrangement here is that when. two assemblies arearranged' side-to-side but in reversed `relationship, a projecting panelportion of each ofthe assem-v blies will overlap and cover an exposedleg portion of the other assembly, the two panels together constitutinga virtuallycontinuous surface.

The exact shape which thefront, back, and side edges of thev panelofeach assembly will take is` a matter of individual choice providedthat yall ofthe legs of each assembly are left at least partiallyexposed when that assembly isstanding alone but will be substantiallycovered by projecting panel portions of other adjacent panels when theassembly is arranged with other assemblies into a platform and that whenso arranged the panel edges will mate with the edges of the otheradjacent panels to form a flat, substantially unbroken surface. Arectangular panel will, for many purposes, be advantageous due to itslowcost and simplicity.

From the standpoint of safety, latchiug means operative to positivelymaintain a plurality of assemblies in juxtaposition is a practicalnecessity and any one of. a number of known means of this type may beemployed in association with the assemblies just described. In addition.there is disclosed a novel latching device which has been especiallydesigned for.` the invention. In accordance with-.this` feature, one ormore of the'frame members of each assembly is provided with an outwardlyprojecting `tongue 25 whichcarries at `its free end a downwardlydirected `linger 26` adapted to it in and engage the exposedportionofthe bore ofone of the tubular legs of an adjacentlyfarrangedassembly.' Preferably, the end of the Vtongue remote from the lingerissecured, e. g., by we1d ingjto the' upper surface of the frameumemberand in this 'case the eorrespondingportion of theunder surface of thepanel is relievedfor recessed to accommodate the tongue. However, `otherarrangements areV possible.- Thus, the 4tongue may]- be mounted with itsupper surface ilush with the upper surface of the frame member and thewall of `theleg notched to receivethe tongue. As is readily inferrable`frornthe, drawings, thellatching device may be ap.

plied to thelegless frame member, one side member, two lside members, orall three", dependent upon the ultimate sizeand configurationV of theplatformV and the fashion inwhichtthe`a`ssemblies are arranged together.When applied Ato `tliexleglessframe member, itis preferably so locatedas to engage with thetintermediate leg, e. g., leg

17i.`. If the leg` is` fully exposed, the finger may take the uformof a,peg or dowel mating with the bore of the leg. Referring now to Figurel, there isshown a platform composed `of twooppositelyor reverselyfacing groups of assemblies, A1`A `and. ATA-A12, wherein the assembliesin each group are arranged front to back with the projecting panelportion of all except the terminal assemblies v (A, and A7)overlappingfwith and supported by the ex- `posed legs ofthe nextadjacentassembly, and one assembly from each group is juxtaposed with oneassembly from the other group -Witha projecting side panel portion ofeach overlapping and supported by a side leg of the other. Intorder that`the support of the platform may be `complete and uniform throughout, itis desirable that thev terminal assemblies in any platform,corresponding toassemblies A, andtAJ; in Figure l, have an intermediateleg (16) `on theotherwise legless frame member. `Tofacilitatetransp'ortation of a nested array ofthe assemblies,1as showninFigure 4, one of a number of assemblies,` whichmay conveniently be aterminal assembly,'`is provided with wheels 29 at the termination ofalllegs, the wheeled assembly serving as a carrier for other assemblies.The weightfof `the assemblies and the point at which the center ofgravity of theentire array falls outside the contines of the wheelsgoverns the number which may be readily stacked together. j

A platform having the configuration seen in Figure'6 necessitates aslight change in the disposition of the legs on one side of eachassemblyto permit the close juxtaposition of assemblies which4 are allfacing in the same direction, as well asv a change in the shape of thepanels anda progressive increase in the size of the assemblies in the`direction of front to rear.

lIn the event a stepped platform is desired, the legs of the frontrow ofassemblies may be reduced in length and the `legs of the back `row`increased in length compared to that of the legs of the intermediaterow. The modifivcation of the latching arrangement necessary for astepped platform will be apparent to one skilled in the art.

Itwill be understood that the invention is not limited to the particularembodiments illustrated as some variations and modifications have beensuggested in the specication and others will occur to one conversant inthe field of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desiredto be secured by Letters Patent is:

l; A sectional platform comprising a plurality of individual table-likeassemblies, each of which includes a four-sided frame having one `sideshortened at each end as compared to the opposite side, a group of legs,mounted on the exterior of said shortened side. a lsecond group of legsincluding a leg mounted on vthe exterior of each of the two remainingopposite sides of said frame at a point adjacent the side opposite saidshortened side, and a rectangular panel overlying said frame, said panelhaving one edge approximately coterminous with the exterior of saidshortened side and a portion opposite said edge projecting outwardly ofthe exterior of the side opposite said v shortened4 side and being of alength approximately equal to the length of the side opposite saidshortened side, whereby portions of said panelalso project outwardly ofthe exterior of said two remaining opposite sides adjacent saidshortenedrside, said assemblies being arranged together with theoutwardly projecting portions of the panel of one assembly overlappingwith and being supported by at least `one leg of l an adjacent assembly,said panels Vfitting together `and constituting a substantiallycontnuous surface when viewed in plan, and said assemblies beingnestable together when disarranged..

. 2. The platform of claim l wherein said legs are tubu- .lar in formand eachl of said assemblies is provided with at least one'latching unitcomprising a tongue projecting from the side of said frame opposite saidshortened side and a nger dependent from the free end of said tongue,said finger fitting into the bore of a leg of an adjacent assembly andmaintaining said assemblies closely together.

3. The platform of claim 1 wherein each of the terminal assembliesincludes `in the rear group of legs an additional leg carried by theside opposite said shortened side and intermediate its ends.

4. The platform of claim 1 wherein the first group of legs in eachassembly includes an additional leg intermediate the ends of saidshortened frame side.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

